Ryan Crotty Sideline to centre stage
happened, then get a plan so you don’t have to worry about it. But that’s good feedback from Warren. I appreciate it.’’
Across town, Gatland had a chance to respond.
‘‘If I’m getting up his nose, then that’s a nice position to be in,’’ he said. ‘‘I’m not worried about Steve. He can say whatever he likes in the media.
‘‘We know it’s going to be a tough encounter so let’s let the rugby do the talking. There’s been enough trash talk. This could be a fantastic series.’’ Six-all, time for the tiebreak. ● Aaron Cruden has beaten a knee injury to join the bench in the first test against the Lions after being bracketed with fellow first five-eighth Lima Sopoaga. A dark cloud on the sidelines when the Crusaders lost to the Lions, Ryan Crotty has found the silver fern lining in the form of a test centre slot.
When Crotty, 28, was injured against the Highlanders this month, his rib cartilage woes cost him his place in the Crusaders, then the All Blacks’ test last week against Samoa.
Now he’s back, lined up for his 27th test, yet only the third in which he will start at 13. Both the others were outside Sonny Bill Williams; one was against the US, the other against Samoa. Minnows both.
‘‘I was very disappointed to miss the game down in Christchurch with the Crusaders getting a crack against them a few weeks ago. It was a tough one to miss, but in hindsight it was the right decision and I’m just happy to get my opportunity on Saturday,’’ he said.
Crotty grabbed No 13 ahead of the flashy offloading Anton Lienert-Brown, outside the flashy offloading Williams. He’s seen as the backline glue, the wise head, the defence organiser, the ordergiver. At least, that’s what he touts his role as being.
If Crotty is concerned about coming straight off a rib injury in to a largely unfamiliar position at test level to face the wily and vastly experienced Jonathan Davies he’s giving no signs of it. ‘‘It’s not easy, but you’ve got to trust your process around your preparation. All I can concentrate on is how well I can prepare.
‘‘Second five in the way we defend is a little more confrontational than 13, 13 you have to defend a lot more space, but I’ve played both positions quite a lot and I’m confident I’ll be able to do the job at 13.’’
All Blacks coach Steve Hansen said he had three world class midfielders, so one had to miss out. Lienert-Brown would get a chance later in the match when the defence loosened up.
‘‘ALB is very much a Sonny player, very good on the offload, very good coming in and taking advantage of any space,’’ he said.
‘‘We’re picking there’s not going to be a lot of that early in the game. Ryan is a more experienced, heady player, he’s been around long time and gives us the ability to go into the first part of the match and use ALB as someone who can do something different.’’